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CBS News Radio Shuts Down
A nearly 100-year-old American radio news network is about to go dark and we’re all supposed to treat it like background noise. CBS News Radio ends May 22, with roughly 700 affiliates impacted and the radio news team eliminated, and I can’t shake how backwards this feels: not a relic being retired, but a working system being switched off because it stopped fitting a spreadsheet.
I break down why network radio news isn’t about being flashy or “exclusive.” The top-of-hour newscast is infrastructure. Local stations build clocks, staffing, and listener habits around it, and when it’s reliable it makes a station sound like a real community service instead of a stream with a transmitter attached. That’s why the usual corporate talking points about “challenging economic realities” and “shifting programming strategies” don’t fully explain what’s happening, especially alongside Paramount’s broader cuts and high-level strategy resets.
Then there’s the part that really burns trust: reports that some affiliates didn’t get a meaningful heads-up before the press release dropped. Radio is a relationship business, and when partners find out in public, the message is clear: you’re downstream. I also dig into the human cost of layoffs, the union’s blunt reaction, and the bigger question this raises for local journalism, broadcast radio, and media leadership.
If this hit a nerve, subscribe wherever you listen, share the episode with a radio friend, and leave a review. What’s the “unsexy” piece of infrastructure you depend on every day that would break everything if it vanished?
Stories talk about in this episode:
- https://www.axios.com/2026/03/20/cbs-news-layoffs-paramount-skydance
- https://www.businessinsider.com/cbs-news-layoffs-plans-dozens-employees-bari-weiss-paramount-skydance-2026-3
Support the show
If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow The Tyler Woodward Project and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.
Follow the show on Instagram and Threads.
All views and opinions expressed in this show are solely those of the creator and do not represent or reflect the views, policies, or positions of any employer, organization, or professional affiliation.
View all episodes
By Tyler WoodwardA nearly 100-year-old American radio news network is about to go dark and we’re all supposed to treat it like background noise. CBS News Radio ends May 22, with roughly 700 affiliates impacted and the radio news team eliminated, and I can’t shake how backwards this feels: not a relic being retired, but a working system being switched off because it stopped fitting a spreadsheet.
I break down why network radio news isn’t about being flashy or “exclusive.” The top-of-hour newscast is infrastructure. Local stations build clocks, staffing, and listener habits around it, and when it’s reliable it makes a station sound like a real community service instead of a stream with a transmitter attached. That’s why the usual corporate talking points about “challenging economic realities” and “shifting programming strategies” don’t fully explain what’s happening, especially alongside Paramount’s broader cuts and high-level strategy resets.
Then there’s the part that really burns trust: reports that some affiliates didn’t get a meaningful heads-up before the press release dropped. Radio is a relationship business, and when partners find out in public, the message is clear: you’re downstream. I also dig into the human cost of layoffs, the union’s blunt reaction, and the bigger question this raises for local journalism, broadcast radio, and media leadership.
If this hit a nerve, subscribe wherever you listen, share the episode with a radio friend, and leave a review. What’s the “unsexy” piece of infrastructure you depend on every day that would break everything if it vanished?
Stories talk about in this episode:
- https://www.axios.com/2026/03/20/cbs-news-layoffs-paramount-skydance
- https://www.businessinsider.com/cbs-news-layoffs-plans-dozens-employees-bari-weiss-paramount-skydance-2026-3
Support the show
If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow The Tyler Woodward Project and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.
Follow the show on Instagram and Threads.
All views and opinions expressed in this show are solely those of the creator and do not represent or reflect the views, policies, or positions of any employer, organization, or professional affiliation.